Aberrant sleep patterns in children with the Rett syndrome.
Previous studies on the characteristics of disturbed sleep/wake patterns in children with the Rett syndrome have yielded inconsistent findings. In the current study, momentary time sampling procedures were used to measure the sleep/wake patterns of 20 girls with classical Rett syndrome. These patients had significantly more total sleep than age peers (M = 110.1; Zm = 2.58; p = .01), significantly less nighttime sleep (M = 80.8; Zm = -7.53; p less than .0001), and significantly more daytime sleep (M = 24.5; Zm = 8.71; p less than .0001). Night sleep was negatively correlated with age (r = -.59; p less than .01); day sleep was positively correlated with age (r = .54; p = .01). These girls also displayed night wakings on 20.9% of nights, delayed sleep onset on 67.8% of nights and early wakings on 24.5% of nights. These data clearly demonstrate that children with the Rett syndrome have markedly impaired sleep/wake patterns and suggests that the sleep dysfunction may worsen over time.
Piazza
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CC
Division of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore.
Fisher
W
W
Kiesewetter
K
K
Bowman
L
L
Moser
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications*